Briefs
Fugitive Bangladeshi Ideologue Tamim al-Adnani Spearheading Virtual Jihadist Campaign
In August 2013, a Bangladeshi court in Barguna district jailed several members of the extremist outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), including its spiritual leader Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani, for subversive activities in the country. These ABT members were accused of widespread violence and targeted killings during... MORE
Abdul Reza Shahlai: The IRGC’s Man in Yemen
On January 3, the same day the United States conducted the airstrike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qasem Soleimani and prominent Iraqi politician and militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the United States also attempted a drone strike on Abdul Reza Shahlai, the... MORE
Abdullahi Banati: The Al-Shabaab Commander who Straddles the Kenyan–Somali Border
Abdullahi Banati, an al-Shabaab commander, is known to straddle the Kenya-Somali border, killing civilians and security personnel. A member of Amniyat, the intelligence wing of al-Shabaab, Banati has been deployed near Kenya’s northeastern region with special instructions to strike and disrupt the work of security... MORE
Mukaram Khan: Hizb ul-Ahrar – The New Security Challenge in Pakistan
On November 14, 2019, 14 people were injured when a bomb exploded in Lahore. The attack was later claimed by Hizb ul-Ahrar (HuA), a relatively new terrorist group in Pakistan (Dawn, November 30, 2019). The group was founded as a splinter group of Jamaat ul-Ahrar... MORE
Qais al-Khazali—The PMU Militia Leader Challenging the U.S. in Iraq
On December 6, the U.S. State Department announced sanctions on three Iraqi militia leaders, accusing them of killing peaceful protesters. The most prominent name among those was Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, the leader of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (The League of the Righteous—AAH) Shia militia (U.S. Department... MORE
Filling the Void: A Profile of New Quds Force Commander Esmail Ghaani
The death of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) Major General and head of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani has caused significant international and domestic reverberations since he was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad on January 3. Internationally, the assassination escalated geopolitical tensions... MORE
Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi: From Guantanamo Bay Detainee to AQAP Leader
The U.S. State Department offered a $4 million reward for Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi (a.k.a. Abu Khubaib al-Sudani) through its Rewards for Justice program in November, bringing the longtime al-Qaeda figure back into the international spotlight. The reward comes over seven years after al-Qosi was... MORE
Ashraf al-Mayar – The Face of Libyan Salafist Support for Haftar
Ashraf al-Mayar is one of the most prominent militia field commanders fighting on the side of General Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan conflict. Mayar, a Salafist from eastern Libya, was a member of the 17 February Brigade, which was a coalition of militias that coexisted... MORE
CAPTURED: Chechen Islamic State Commander al-Bara al-Shishani Arrested in Ukraine
On November 12, the Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) apprehended al-Bara al-Shishani, a leader of the Russian-speaking faction of Islamic State (IS). Al-Bara was arrested in a private house located in the region surrounding Kyiv. According to SBU officials, al-Bara had been residing in Ukraine since... MORE
A Profile of Amadou Kouffa—One of the Most Prominent Jihadist Commanders in West Africa
Prior to 2012, Mali was considered a success story of democratic transition in West Africa. However, ever since the instability of Libya’s civil war began affecting the entire region and Tuareg mercenaries returned to Mali from Libya and launched a rebellion, Mali has been facing... MORE